RALEIGH — Thousands of families will visit the State Fair over the next week. In the
massive crowds, it's hard to keep track of everyone and sometimes children
get separated from their parents.

The State Fair has a system in place to reunite parents with their lost
children called the Lost Kiddie Colony.

Friday night, 10-year-old Johnathon and his friend Kelvin got separated
from Johnathon's grandmother. Johnathon said they wandered around the fair
looking for her, but couldn't find her.

Police brought the pair to the Lost Kiddie Colony inside the Red Cross
lounge at the fairgrounds. Volunteers try to comfort children and help
them find the adults who were watching them.

Edna Massey, Lost Kiddie Colony supervisor, said on the last day of the
fair last year, the colony had about 120 children come in off and on
during the night.

Just during the time of WRAL's visit to the colony, 7-year-old Andrew was
also lost and quickly recovered by his parents.

A short time later, Johnathon and Kelvin were reunited with Jonathan's
grandmother.

Volunteers at the Lost Kiddie Colony suggested parents, especially with
very small children, buy a ticket at any information booth, put the
name, address and phone number of the child on the ticket and attach the
ticket to the child. Volunteers said the tickets make it easier to reunite
parents with children.

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